Histomat: Adventures in Historical Materialism

'Historical materialism is the theory of the proletarian revolution.' Georg Lukács

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Day School: China, World Capitalism and Workers' Resistance

Saturday 28 February 2015
10.30am – 5pm
Central London
Sessions on:
  • The Political Economy of China Today
  • China in the World
  • Labour struggles, the umbrella protests and new movements for democracy
Speakers include:

  • Tim Pringle, lecturer at SOAS and author of Trade Unions in China: The Challenge of Labour Unrest 
  • Jenny Chan, lecturer at Oxford and expert on labour in China and the workers at Foxconn in particular. 
  • Jane Hardy, professor of political economy at University of Hertfordshire and author of Poland’s New Capitalism 
  • Adrian Budd, lecturer in politics at London South Bank University and author of Class, States and International Relations: a critical appraisal of Robert Cox and neo-Gramscian theory
  • For more details and how to book see here
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    Thursday, December 11, 2014

    Remembering the Soldiers' Revolt at Christmas

    Good pieces by Adam Hochschild and Chris Fuller on the 100th anniversary of the Christmas revolt in 1914, and how it has been commemorated and commodified.

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    Saturday, December 06, 2014

    The SR/ISJ Index and Bob Cox

    Any socialist or Marxist who has ever made use of the Socialist Review and International Socialism Journal Index - and there must be thousands if not hundreds of thousands internationally who have done so, and learned much in the process by doing so, over the years - will have been saddened to read of the passing of the founder of this invaluable resource, Bob Cox.  RIP.

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    Friday, December 05, 2014

    Open statement of solidarity with Warwick Students occupying against police brutality



    Open statement of solidarity from the Student Assembly against Austerity

    We support the student occupation and ongoing protests at Warwick University in response to police violence, for free education and against fees, cuts and debt. We send out solidarity to all the students concerned and condemn the escalating use of police violence on our campuses.   

    On Wednesday 3 Dec 2014 students at Warwick University were holding a peaceful sit-in protest on campus as part of the national day of action for free education called by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts and the Student Assembly Against Austerity. They were sat in a circle discussing free education and the university community.


    However, this was met with violence from police and who attacked them using CS spray and drawing tasers.  A number of students were assaulted and injured, and some arrested only to be released without charge later that evening. 


    We support the demands of the students occupying their campus and echo their calls on the University of Warwick management to “support the right to protest and condemn any form of state violence including the use of CS gas and tasers on our campus.”


    This attack on peaceful protesters at Warwick University represents a further ratcheting up of police violence used against student activists following the disgraceful scenes that followed a student occupation at Senate House in December 2013 and those at Birmingham University last year.

    Students and staff should be able to protest against policies and practices with which they disagree. They should be able to take part in protests without fear of attack or the use of tasers or CS gas.  Universities are meant to be places of debate and discussion.  We condemn the actions of the University, the police and security. We support all those students involved and offer solidarity to protests and occupations now taking place. 

    To sign please email info@thestudentassembly.org.uk 

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    Wednesday, December 03, 2014

    Saint Patrick's Battalion (David Rovics)